Interactive input systems that allow users to inject input such as for example digital ink, mouse events, etc., into an application program using an active pointer (e.g., a pointer that emits light, sound or other signal), a passive pointer (e.g., a finger, cylinder or other object) or other suitable input device such as for example, a mouse or trackball, are well known. These interactive input systems include but are not limited to: touch systems comprising touch panels employing analog resistive or machine vision technology to register pointer input such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,448,263; 6,141,000; 6,337,681; 6,747,636; 6,803,906; 7,232,986; 7,236,162; and 7,274,356 and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0179001, all assigned to SMART Technologies ULC of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, assignee of the subject application, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference; touch systems comprising touch panels employing electromagnetic, capacitive, acoustic or other technologies to register pointer input; tablet and laptop personal computers (PCs); personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other handheld devices; and other similar devices.
In some environments, interactive input systems are networked with one or more computers, other interactive input systems and/or other network enabled devices. In addition to interactive presentations, networked interactive input systems enable collaborations among participants situated in geographically disparate locations.
During interactive presentations, a presenter typically uses a pointer (e.g., a finger, pen tool or other suitable object) to create, select and manipulate displayed graphical objects on an interactive surface or whiteboard. The user may add annotations, change colors or fill patterns of displayed graphical objects, or may move, rotate, enlarge, reduce and generally manipulate displayed graphical objects using gestures.
Unfortunately, it is often difficult to determine the intended image processing operation during user pointer interaction with a displayed graphical object. Unlike keyboard or keypad based inputs, pointer-based inputs are often susceptible to ambiguous interpretation. The ability of users to correctly communicate intent, regarding the desired manipulation of displayed graphical objects is therefore somewhat limited in some interactive input systems.
It is therefore an object to provide a novel method for manipulating a graphical object and a novel interactive input system employing the same.